Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Physical: scent-free and thick, this is a translucent gel (though I would hesitate at this; perhaps calling it a “jelly” due to its thickness.) When applied, as it sinks in, it feels as if liquid is evaporating — and I think it is, as I left a tiny layer on a part of my hand to test it out and found it left a white residue.The good: I love the price of this ($5.50/.5oz or $1 for a small sample, enough for “3-5 applications”) and the fact that it is paraben-free! Silicone-free (silica is different). Great for keeping your t-zone shine-free during the day — I’m usually a little oily by noon, but I was still fairly matte by two when I tried this!The bad: Half my face (the dry half) didn’t love it so much: I quickly ended up with patches of very obvious dry skin that I had not noticed in my regular inspection before putting on the primer. (I always take a very good look at myself before using a new primer so I can really see the changes after I put it on… if there are any!) I miss using primers that are gorgeously silky and make your skin feel hydrated — this left not a velvet finish, but a dehydrated one, like crisp old paper.

The verdict? Yes!! but only for t-zones or very oily skin. I’m thinking of buying the full size and using it daily on my t-zone, but I refuse to even think of using this for the rest of my face. It would honestly be so angry with me that it would peel off! Very effective, not to mention, very cost-effective!

PS: I don’t love the unsanitary pot packaging, but it is a small price to pay. I’ll just move some into a smaller jar on a regular basis, or use a spatula to remove product.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

[aformentioned title must be said with the voice of a sportscaster. Or a car salesman.]

Here’s the look: (get used to this mug, girls, because you’ll probably be seeing it a lot more from now on, since it’s finally light enough to take natural sunlight photos when I get home!)Photos were taken with flash (they usually aren’t), and with hair tied back to give a more “summery” look. I’m always way more yellow/tanned with flash, which worked well for this look! The bronzer does look much more harsh than it does in real life because of it, but that’s alright :P

And here’s how to get it!

1. Apply normal foundation, or gradually mix your normal and summer foundations.
2. Set with powder.
3. Dust on a non-orange light bronzing powder (I used MAC Golden) all over your face, neck, and chest. Don’t do this while wearing a shirt!!
4. Very lightly apply a darker, more berry bronzing powder (MAC Bronze) where you would contour – under your cheekbones,your temples, and a touch along the peripherals of your face. Blend, and sweep your brush over your nose, chin, and forehead without picking up more powder. This will very lightly tint the areas, but you don’t want to full-out colour them!
-note- If you only have one bronzer, opt for a very light dusting over the face, apply a berry blush, and then concentrate more bronzer in the areas listed in step four.
5. Apply a bronze-berry lip colour (Aura Science Baby Plum) with your finger. Why your finger, and not the applicator? I prefer a moist-but-not-glossy look when I’m bronzed. Using your fingers will help you achieve this look.
6. Dust a sheer shimmery gold onto lids (Fyrinnae Polar Bear). Don’t take it past your crease!
7. Take what’s left on your brush and apply to the middle of your lower lip!
8. Dust shoulders and chest lightly with Bronze. I wanted to do a contouring tutorial for the girls, but with all the teens being charged for child pornography*, I decided against it [eye roll]

Tada! You’re bronzed and ready to go.

*Do you think this is reasonable? For those of you who are lost: teens are being charged for child pornography for “sexting” – sending provocative/nude photos of themselves to their significant others. I think it’s wrong, but it’s not something you should go to jail for!! Sound off in the comments.

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

I saw a swatch of the new NARS single – Tropic – on Temptalia and had the strangest feeling.

Haven’t I seen that before?

So I went running upstairs and swatched my Fyrinnae Ripped Jeans. Like Tropic, it’s a dark, teal-ish blue matte shade with silver glitter. From what I can tell from photos, the two are very similar (I haven’t yet seen it in person.) However, I’d hazard to say that Fyrinnae will be more wearable for most people. Why? The glitter is finer, meaning it’ll be less “disco” and stay on with much more ease.

The verdict? These shades are very similar, and both have their pros and cons (Ripped Jeans stains the skin when used wet, see below, but Tropic has chunky glitter.) But honestly? Tropic is $22 from the summer collection, and Fyrinnae pigments are like $5. Go with the Fyrinnae!

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Materials:Empty compact (this one’s an old MAC Blot Powder one, cleaned thoroughly.)What you’re pressing (EDM blusher and Fyrinnae Clear Mineral Finish, to lessen the pigmentation and make it easier to work with)Cosmetic spatula or a small spoon etc(I used a skewer to mix, because it can get into corners, and doesn’t “scoop” product and hold it)Mixing medium and/or alcohol (I used both Fyrinnae pressing solution and alcohol, in an equal ratio, for the perfect texture. More mixing medium = more solid finish to the pressed product, more alcohol = more dusty.)1. Mix ingredients if there are different ones, to get an even powder.

2. Add solution, bit by bit, and mix in. Keep adding until it’s a mucky substance that is evenly wet, like a paste.(see? I added the Mineral Finish to ensure my final product would be the same shade as the loose one, because when I tried it the first time I found that the finished product was a little more brown. And now they’re the exact same!)3. Keep adding solution until pasty, then smooth down as best you can with the spatula.4. Clean edges and let dry almost completely. (I was so tempted to leave it looking like this!)5. Using a flat-bottomed object the same diameter on top of a piece of fabric or paper towel, press. I used the bottom of a small wine glass, and it fit perfectly!Tomorrow: relabelling that compact!

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

When I pressed my Swimming Pool with Fyrinnae’s pressing medium, it got a little more brown.

Evidence of this:The relevance of this post? None right now, but if you check back tomorrow, it’ll all make sense! Or you could just take this as your forewarning of the fact that sometimes colours darken a little when pressed (not enough to really make a difference, though)

Monday, December 8, 2008

What is this madness? A tutorial?! With the most lame-ass name ever??? Yes! Yes it is! (The alternate titles were “Purple and silver EOTD tutorial” or “A whole eye with just three shadows”, but that’s just not as fun.)

(Sorry to all my lidded readers… you’ll have to change this up a bit to wear it, as I have monolids!)Warning, it’s crazy pic-heavy, but it’s too late to go back now, because I don’t know how to do cuts. Each block of text refers to the photo below it.

1. Conceal, set brows, etc. Apply a matte to semi-matte base over the entire eye area – concealer to even out skin tone, or primer to make it “stickier” and intensify pigments.I’m using:EDM Sandy Fair, Original Glo formula, applied wet with my adesign eye brush. (Dip brush in minerals, spritz once with water, pat on, and blend)Alternatives – pressed shadow: Your shade of minerals, or one half-shade to a shade lighter; MAC Ricepaper; EDM Rare Silk.Alternatives – bases: MAC Paint Pot in Bare Study; Urban Decay Primer Potion; Too Faced Shadow Insurance.2. Hilight the brow bone. (If you used primer as your base in the last step, make sure to layer a neutral shadow over it where there will not be hilight/colour – you don’t a streak of primer showing, unless you’re using one with a neutral powder finish!)I’m using: Lancome Crème Lustréapplied dry with my adesign brush.Alternatives: Stila Kitten, Bobbi Brown Bone, MAC Vanilla pigment.

3. Apply a wash of grey shadow in the fold. (Grey would work too, I guess) I would use a cream shadow for this, non-matte, but it’s up to you! Pat in with ring finger if using cream.I’m using: Estee Lauder cream shadowin Silver and my fingers!Alternatives – cream: Tarte’s Lock & Roll in Gunmetal; Stila Grey Smudgepot; Bourjois Shimmer Shine in Gris Platine; Benefit Skinny Jeans.Alternatives – powder: MAC MES Family Silver; MAC Electra; NARS Bombshell; Urban Decay Uzi, S&M, or Gunmetal.3.5 Re-apply if it’s too light, until you get the depth that you want. I applied it only in my fold and blended up just a tiny bit, and concentrated more on the middle/outside than the inner corner.4. Pat on a deep, dusty, matte, plum-toned shadow onto the lid, concentrating on the outer corner. Blend in with the silver until your little fingers can’t move the brush anymore to blend. Blending should give a colour gradient as well as move a touch of shimmer into the purple area. (Because I have small eyes, the plum is much higher on the outer corner and ends with about 1/4 of my eye still to go) Layer until desired intensity is reached.Unfortunately, my camera wouldn’t capture the intensity of this!I’m using: Alima Pure Satin Matte in Lilac and my Quo all-over eye brush.Alternatives: EDM Casual Friday; MAC Nocturnelle; Shu Uemura M Pink 150; BE Now Liner Shadow; MAC Mauvement pigment.

5. Line your lower lash line with a shimmer-free purple.I’m using: MAC Underground Violet, blended/smudged with a tightly coiled damp q-tip.Alternatives: Anything! Purple coordinates well with this look but honestly, use whatever floats your boat. If you have small eyes like me, though, you’ll want to put on a very smudgy low-pigment line and blend blend blend – you just want the colour, not a solid line.5.5 Pat on your shadow from step 4 to make it blend with the rest of the look. Blend like hell – you just want a soft shadow of colour, not an accent line.Using: Step 4 shadow, applied with a thin flat art brush.6. Use the same shadow again to line your upper lash line – dip an eyeliner brush in eyedrops, liner converter, or water, take off the crazy-excess droplets, pick up colour, and lightly tap so you won’t get fallout.Use: Step 4 shadow and the same ‘ol brush, but wet.7. Wing it!Use: the same shadow and tools as in step 6.8. Apply a gold liner to add a little “pop”. Draw your line directly above the dark line, overlapping and blending just a little. I then slid through the dark line, putting the gold underneath the dark wing, and not following to the wing tip.I’m using: Fyrinnae Polar Bear, with Visine and another art brush :P If you’ve never tried a soft synthetic children’s paintbrush, you must! It makes lining a dream.Alternatives – gold liner: Shu Uemura 05 Me Gold; NARS Glitter Pencil in Mudd ClubAlternatives – gold shadow: EDM Oasis; MAC Rose Gold pigment; MAC Woodwinked; Fyrinnae Little Red’s Pet Wolf9. Lash time! Curl, apply mascara.I’m using: A slick of Annabelle liner, just for that lightly-mascara-ed look. Not reccomended for lashes, in my opinion, as it is too liquidy, but it was the only thing at hand!Alternatives: Your favourite mascara or a liner that works equally as well.Done!

Overview of products usedBASEEDM Original Glo foundation in Sandy Fair *Original Glo is great for an eye base as it has a tiny touch of shimmer/lustre to it!The Balm Time Balm in Lighter Than Light

Mix up the look – other colour combinations to try applied this waySwitch the gold liner for silver.Do a light base and bold liner instead of this dark base/blended liner.Use a dark brown instead of plum.Add some major colour by using an olive green or navy blue shadow, even!Use a matte base for a more natural look.Go smoky in dark grey shadow with a gold liner.Or try navy shadow with a silver liner!

You have the technical bits down… now go practice your technique :P (What was that? An invitation to play with makeup? Yes, yes it was! *runs off to go do so*)